NPAIHB Legislative & Policy  Update
Monday, June 24, 2019 

IMPORTANT DATES
June 23-27
NCAI 2019 Mid-Year Conference & Marketplace
Sparks, NV

June 25
11:00AM PT: HRSA Auto-HPSA Webinar
Dial-in: 888-282-0359; Passc ode: 9059513
Webinar:  https://hrsa.connectsolutions.com/auto-hpsa webinar/

June 27-28
FY 2021 Evaluation/FY 2022 Planning Meeting National Tribal Budget Formulation Meeting
Reno, NV

July 9
11:00AM PT: IHS Virtual Consultation on the FY 2019 Opioid Grant Program
Dial-In: (800) 832-0736; Passcode: *4571119 #
Webinar: Adobe Connect: https://ihs.cosocloud.com/vtc

July 9-11
HHS Region 10 Tribal Consultation
Northern Quest Resort, Spokane, WA

July 11
12:30PM PT: IHS June All Tribal and Urban Indian Organization Leaders Call
Conference Call: 800-857-5577; Passcode: 6703929 
Webinar:  https://ihs.cosocloud.com/r4k6jib09mj/; Password: ihs123

July 15-16
IHS Tribal Self-Governance Advisory Committee (TSGAC) Meeting
Washington, DC

July 15-18
Joint NPAIHB and CRIHB Board Meeting
Lincoln, CA

July 23-25
National Conference on AI/AN Injury and Violence Prevention 
Denver, CO

July 23
NIHB Medicare,  Medicaid, and Health Reform Policy Committee (MMPC) Meeting
Washington, DC

July 24-25
CMS Tribal Technical Advisory Group (TTAG) Meeting
Washington, DC

July 30-31
IHS Direct Service Tribal Advisory Committee (DSTAC) Meeting
Albuquerque, NM
ACTION ALERTS
IHS DTLL- IHS is accepting applications for FY 2019 Small Ambulatory Program (Applications Due 6/28)
4/23 Issued
Issues application cycle for FY 2019 Small Ambulatory Program. The FY 2019 budget includes $15 million.
IHS DTLL- IHS initiates tribal consultation on draft National Community Health Aide Program (CHAP) policy (Comments Due 7/8)
5/8 Extends Tribal Consultation
Requests  input and recommendations on a draft IHS policy to implement, outline, and define a National CHAP. It is extremely important for Northwest tribes to comment on the draft CHAP policy.

IHS DTLL- IHS initiates tribal consultation on development of an FY 2019 Opioid Grant Program
6/19 Issued
Requests feedback on developing an IHS Opioid Grant Program to distribute the $10 million FY 2019 funding. IHS will be holding two virtual tribal consultation sessions.
Support needed for Advanced Appropriations for the Indian Health Service and Bureau of Indians Affairs - S.229, H.R. 1128, and H.R. 1135
 POLICY UPDATES
Trump issues Executive Order to bring health care price transparency 
6/24 Issued
Directs the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and other agencies to issue rules requiring hospitals to disclose prices that reflect what patients and insurers "actually pay" for services.

House Executive Order on evaluating and improving the utility of Federal Advisory Committees
6/14 Issued
Orders evaluation of need of current Federal Advisory Committees and termination of at least one-third of current committees under the Federal Advisory Committees Act (FACA) by September 30, 2019. 

IHS instructs Area Directors to assuring access to Medication Assisted Treatment for opioid use disorder
6/11 Issued
Directs all IHS federal facilities to identify opioid use disorder treatment resources in their local areas and create an action plan, in an effort to provide or coordinate patient access to medication assisted treatment.
IHS Memo

Veteran Affairs DTLL: Implementation of the Maintaining Internal Systems and Strengthening Integrated Outside Networks (MISSION) Act
6/7 Issued
Provides key information and resources about the MISSION Act community care program, which launches June 6, 2019.

CMS seeks input on patients over paperwork initiative to further reduce administrative, regulatory burden to lower healthcare costs (Comments Due 8/12)
6/4 Issued
Requests recommendations to make  further changes to rules, policies, and procedures that would shift more of clinicians' time and healthcare system's resources from paperwork to high-quality care that improves patient health.

IHS DTLL: Update on tribal consultation for the IHS Sanitation and Deficiency System (SDS) Guide
5/24 Issued
Provides an update from tribal consultation and includes a summary of tribal comments. The updated SDS Guide will be provided by September 30, 2019.
LEGISLATIVE UPDATES
Senate Health Committee Leaders release draft Lower Health Care Costs of 2019 legislation to reduce healthcare costs
5/23 Introduced
Proposes (1) ending surprise medical billing; (2) reducing the price of prescription drugs; improving transparency in healthcare; (3) improving public health; and (4) improving the exchange of health information.

House passes first minibus appropriations bill which includes funding for Labor-Health and Human Services
4/14 Introduced
Funds  Labor-HHS; Defense; Energy-Water; and State-Foreign Operations. The Labor-HHS budget includes funding for the CDC's Good Health and Wellness in Indian Country program and funding for Tribal opioid prevention and treatment.

House will consider second minibus, 
which includes the interior bill which funds IHS, this week.
4/14 Introduced
Proposes $6.3 billion to IHS, which is a $537 million increase over the 2019 enacted funding level. Includes $91 million to recruit and retain health professionals; $25 million for the electronic health record (EHR) system; and $20 million to expand the Community Health Aide Program (CHAP). 

WHAT WE'RE READING 
6/19 HELP Committee leaders back benchmark for surprise billing

6/18  House takes up  legislation  to increase funding to Indian Country

6/17 Pelosi: Dems will 'fight  relentlessly' against Trump's Obamacare repeal attempts. 

6/12 CMS approves Washington State Plan Amendment proposal to allow supplemental rebates involving a "Subscription" model for p rescription  drug payment in Medicaid

6/10 CMS expected to release Medicaid block grant guidance to States soon

6/5 Washington's Indian Health Care Improvement Act explained

5/29 IHS introduces recommendations for management of acute dental pain

5/28 Nearing the last hurdle: what challenges remain for Medicaid expansion in Idaho?
For more information
  Laura Platero, Director of Government Affairs/Health Policy 
Sarah Sullivan, Health Policy Analyst
(503) 228-4185
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